Pages

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Ham and Scalloped Potato Casserole

I was having a hard time deciding what to make for Easter dinner
last week. Growing up we always had ham and scalloped potatoes.

I have done that a few times; I have also made a full turkey
dinner a few times. I just didn’t really want to cook a huge meal for just the
two of us. So I had a flash of brilliance and decided to just put the ham and
the scalloped potatoes together in one dish.

It turned out wonderfully‼ I started by making a simple
white sauce. I decided that very thinly sliced ham would work best, and then
adding the sharp flavored Gruyere cheese would really add a nice kick.

The potatoes were tender and the sauce was full of flavor,
it was so rich and creamy. It really was wonderful.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a small
casserole dish and set aside.

Slice the potatoes with a sharp knife or mandolin. Keep the
sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water.

In a pot over medium heat at the butter until it melts.Add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until
the onions begin to soften.Stir in the
thyme and parsley.Sprinkle the flour
over the onions and stir for 1-2 minutes.

Whisk in the milk and cream until well blended.Season the mixture with salt, pepper, sriracha,
Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg and mustard.

Stir the mixture until it begins to thicken, 1-2 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in ¾ cup of the cheddar cheese
until fully melted.

To assemble the casserole, spoon a little of the sauce onto
the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, then layer on 1/3 of the
potatoes.Layer on 1/3 of the ham and sprinkle
with 1/3 of the Gruyere cheese.

Spoon on 1/3 of the remaining sauce and spread it out to
coat the layer.

Repeat the layering process with the remaining ingredients.Once you get to the top sprinkle on the
remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender
and the top is bubbly and brown.

Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before you serve.
This will help it thicken up a bit, and also save you from burning your tongue!

I really cannot even tell you how amazing this casserole was.
So creamy and cheesy. Absolutely fabulous!

We both really loved it. I have a feeling it is going to be
my go to Easter dinner from this year forward!